Rep. Kennedy highlights Fall River's resilience, work ethic in rebuttal to President Trump

Brian Fraga Herald News Staff Reporter @BfragaHN

Wednesday

Jan 31, 2018 at 12:01 AMJan 31, 2018 at 11:02 AM

“We are here in Fall River, Massachusetts — a proud American city, built by immigrants,” Kennedy said.

FALL RIVER – U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III told a national audience Tuesday night that Fall River was “a fitting place to gather” and reflect on the State of the Union.

“We are here in Fall River, Massachusetts — a proud American city, built by immigrants,” Kennedy said in the Democratic Party’s official response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

Kennedy, the 37-year-old great-nephew of President John F. Kennedy, addressed the nation from the automotive body shop of Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School. An audience of about 200 invited guests cheered as their young congressman presented the Spindle City as a proud, resilient and resourceful community.

“From textiles to robots,” Kennedy, informed his national audience, Fall River is “a place that knows how to make great things.”

In the background behind the dais from where the congressman spoke, a motor vehicle, a Diman flag and automotive equipment operated by Diman students were showcased for the television cameras.

“The students with us this evening in the auto-tech shop at Diman Regional Vocational Technical School carry on that rich legacy,” Kennedy said.

A few minutes after the president’s 1-hour-and-20-minute speech from the U.S. House of Representatives, Kennedy, a rising star in his party, spoke from a podium emblazoned with Diman’s seal.

“Like many American hometowns, Fall River has faced its share of storms. But people here are tough. They fight for each other. They pull for their city,” Kennedy said.

Responding to the Trump administration’s conservative economic and social agenda, the young congressman’s presented an alternative vision that he framed as beneficial for the working class and poor.

“We choose Fall River,” Kennedy said. “We choose the thousands of American communities whose roads aren’t paved with power or privilege, but with honest effort, good faith and the resolve to build something better for their kids.”

The audience members from across SouthCoast and Massachusetts were all personally invited to attend the congressman’s speech. Virtually everyone in the region’s political class seemed to be present at Diman, including several state representatives and senators, and other elected leaders such as Bristol County District Attorney Tom Quinn.

Before the cameras went live, the audience in the Diman autobody shop cheered when Kennedy’s relatives, including his father, Joseph P. Kennedy II, walked into the room and took their seats.

The elder Kennedy, himself a former congressman, cracked a joke, “You guys wanted to hear from Congressman Joe Kennedy, right?’

The audience applauded when someone announced that Kennedy would appear in five minutes. When he emerged from a side room and walked through the shop area, the audience jumped to its feet and gave him a standing ovation.

“It’s about a two-hour speech, guys. Settle in,” Kennedy joked.

In the audience listening to the congressman was Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II, who attended the speech with Gen Andrade, his chief of staff.

“This is a huge historical moment for Fall River, to be placed on the world stage,” Correia said.

Young political operatives like Adam Kamoune of Boston, a Northeastern University student and a political director of the College Democrats, also turned out to see Kennedy’s rebuttal to the president.

“He was a great choice. It’s time for us to showcase the future of the party,” said Kamoune, who interned for Kennedy in 2016 and said it was a “no-brainer” for the Democrats to tap the young congressman to deliver the party’s response.

Meanwhile, K-9 police units from Fall River, Dartmouth and the Massachusetts State Police continually scoured the hallways and grounds around Diman in search of any suspicious activity.

“We’re securing the building as we go and keeping a visible presence. ... You can’t take any chances,” said Fall River police Lt. Paul Bernier, who noted that the city’s police department has recent experience with providing security for high-profile events.

“This is similar to Aaron Hernandez in having to coordinate with all the different entities involved,” Bernier said, referring to the 2015 murder trial in Fall River of the former New England Patriots star tight end.

Before signing off and leaving the Diman autobody shop, Kennedy ended his remarks on an optimistic note, asking his local and national audiences to “have faith.”